In life and death
by Starfantasy85
Summary: We do not really know what happens to us when we die? Are we going to heaven? Do we see a light or is there just darkness surrounding us? Follow Sybil as she learns to become a guardian angel while still crossing ways with her left behind ones. Can she let go or is love even strong enough to survive death? Just the paranormal is AU all other things happen like in canon. grammar up
1. Chapter 1

**I don't think this thought for Sybil being a guardian angel is so far away from the show as it seems. Just remembering the Christmas Special from Season 2. "May they be happy!" I'm just saying. I start in season 6 for the first** **chapter,** **but after** **that,** **I will start at her death. Hope you will like it. Please review and tell me what you think about it. If it is worth it to continue.**

Season 6 Episode 7

She felt a little guilty for smoking in front of Edith, but it numbed her headaches she was getting for being around for too long in a human form. The work at "the Sketch" was so exciting that she had totally forgotten to take breaks. She had always loved to be busy and useful, and her new mission was the best she got in years. One of the biggest rules for being a Guardian Angle was never to stay for too long in a chosen human form, or your spirit will remember all the pain their former original body had suffered at their death.

After inhaling the last breath of her cigarette, she put the remains of it out in her ashtray on her work desk.

"I never have seen motor racing closed up.", she told her boss.

"My sister's new boyfriend drives! Why not come?", Edith asked all of the sudden. Her heart pounded nervously and almost too loud in her chest. This was too dangerous! Being too close to her former family and to close around him! He had a way to sense her. Every time she came across him on a street or a place he would look at her. It doesn't matter in what form she was, he would pierce his ocean blue eyes into her like he knew.

"I'm not sure I should!", she answered nervously with a slight smile.

"I am your employer, so if I think it is alright then it must be!", Edith told her. This made her feel proud of Edith. She was so different now as she was five years ago. More self-confident! Life hadn't treated her fair, but that was the whole reason for Sybil to be here right now. She had to make sure that Edith would get her deserved happy ending.

"You can meet my family if you strong enough!", Edith continued. A little guilty Sybil looked down at her lap. She would love to see them again. See how Papa was cope after his gastrectomy and of course, see him again.

After Edith had left, Sybil or better Laura right now had decided to take a break and went back to her shared flat. She couldn't wait until she was inside! The nagging pain inside her body was getting worse. As soon as she had closed the door behind her, Lauras form disappeared and turned into Sybil's. A thick sigh escaped her mouth as she leaned relieved with her back to the door and closed her eyes.

"You over did it again!", reached Lavinia's voice from the living room area to her. "I know! I couldn't catch an earlier break, I found something exciting new for the magazine. I wanted to work it out first.", Sybil answered while opening her eyes again.

"Editing a magazine is not your real mission! You're wasting too much time at it! ", Lavinia told her friend.

"Well, see it that way, if Edith is pleased with Lauras work at the magazine, then she is at least happy in this department !", Sybil thru back the argument at her with a grin and walked towards Lavinia.

"How is he?", Sybil asked.

"Finally sleeping! That boy has too much energy. I don't know how you will manage alone if I'm at my new mission in South Africa. You can not hire a nanny! What if he lets things fly again? The mortals will freak out.", Lavinia answered.

"Don't worry I will manage!", Sybil tried to ease her with a smile.

"By the way! Edith invited me to the race at Brooklands, tomorrow!", she informed Lavinia.

"You mean where Henry Talbot is driving? You can't go, you just lead Sir Charles Coote to him! What if he finds out what we did?", Lavinia asked worriedly.

"Don't worry then I'm there to prevent anything from happening.", Sybil replied not worried at all. Lavinia sighed.

"You know how evil and twisted Sir Charles is! If he finds out where we hiding Matthews soul, then he will not leave the Crawley's alone forever.", The redhead continued. Sybil just smiled at her.

"You worry too much! Edith is part of my mission, and I can not help her from over here. Bertie will be there, too. We can not let us be scared away from an evil spirit, just because he plans to destroy us. We have to be brave!", Sybil answered and left to the nursery attached to the living room.

The afternoon sun was shining so warmly and bright, it was the perfect day for a race. As Sybil, in disguise as Laura Edmondson, walked to the lounge Edith had described to her, she could already see her waving. With a broad smile on her face, she hurried to Edith side and waved happily back. From a distance, she could already make out Tom, as he was deep down with his hands in the motor from Henry's racing car. This made her first chuckle until she realized that she was getting this warm feeling inside of her, again. She can not allow getting too close to him. She didn't belong to the living world anymore. It would just hurt him more.

As soon as she was greeting Edith, Tom was catching Sybil's eye from the side as he walked with Henry towards them. Sybil was holding her breath for a second too long. He wouldn't see thru her disguise this time, or would he? Edith didn't suspect anything. She was much better by now in hiding her true identity.

"Who is this?", he asked with this Irish lid in his voice, while still walking and lifted his hat in good manners to her.

"Laura Edmondson, my Editor!", Edith told him. Sybil smiled at him while Edith introduced them to each other. She felt a little embarrassed and tried to prevent eye contact with Tom. The eyes were the only thing she couldn't change about her looks, but like always she couldn't resist staring back into his ocean blue pools. Just a second too long again, she noticed.

"Laura, this is Tom Branson, my brother in law!", Edith said, and Sybil nodded in friendly manners while her boss pointed first at him and then to Henry.

"...and this is the man of the hour, Mr. Henry Talbot.", Edith continued, and Sybil followed her leads. They turned into the lounge to the others.

"My sister Mary and this are my parents, you can sort them out in your own time!", Edith explained to her. Robert smiled from ear to ear by her introduction. This made Sybil beam at him.

"Nice to meet you at last!", he said while lifting his head quickly for the introduction.

"Lord Grantham and Lady Grantham!", Sybil greeted friendly. It felt so good being around her family. Cora gave her a warm smile. A man approached from behind.

"This is Charles Rogers! He drives in Henry's team!", Edith explained. Sybil knew this already of course. She came across Charlie Rogers before, in another form.

"Henry's team is it? When I beat him in a contest every time!", he answered.

"Oh, he is just showing off! I'm faster, and I'm younger, and I'm better.", Henry joked to Sybil.

"But not at driving!", Charlie pointed out.

"I wish I could do something more to be useful!", Tom said to them.

"Oh just cheer Tom!", Henry answered. "I don't have to be asked!", Tom laughed at this. He was so happy! Of course, he was, he was totally in his element in here. Motorcars and racing! She just loved his smile.

Edith was going off to catch Bertie, while Sybil waited with her former family. Just to be sure Sir Charles was nowhere to see, she glanced around. She wasn't sure, but Sybil thought she had felt his presence earlier.

"Is it hard to be a female editor? Fleet street sounds so very taff.", Rosamund asked all of a sudden. She couldn't miss how Tom's eyes lid up at this mentioning.

"It's hard to be a woman in anything when it isn't domestic, but I do my best!", Sybil told them bold. "I think this is gracious and good!", Robert replied. Sybil was almost baffled. How many fights did she have with him, as she was still at life because of her views?

"Heavens, Papas conversion to the modern world is almost complete!", Cora answered now surprised, too.

"Don't be conceived! He still sees us as happy wives and mothers admitted.", Edith joked to Bertie. It was so comfortable. Sybil almost felt she was still at life. They weren't talking to her like she was a complete stranger.

"That's not fair, even let us can chain some of their spots.", Bertie replied.

"Quite right! Now there is still some food.", Robert said and pointed to the side. Sybil nervously chews on her bottom lip while Tom looked at her to walk with him. She had waited a second before she approached him. Sybil couldn't resist his attractive smile. Don't forget your mission Sybil, she reminded herself. What was so bad about having a little fun while being on her duty. Edith was enjoying herself with Bertie, so there was no harm done doing it, too.

"I'm glad nobody seems unhappy for Edith hiring a woman.", Sybil started a conversation.

"You're a big improvement on the last editor, that's for sure.", Tom answered her.

"And you're a not the only one here who had broken a few barriers. I started my life at Downton as the chauffeur.", Tom continued. That made her smile. How she wished she could tell him "I know," but from who should Laura know it about. Edith wasn't walking around and telling her employees "look every body my brother in law was a chauffeur."

Suddenly Sybil felt this strange presence again.

"Oh no he was here.", She thought and looked worried to Henry and Mary. This must be so troubling for Mary to even be here. Sybil just hoped Sir Charles didn't know about Henry. She would keep an eye on him that's for sure. Henry kissed Mary passionately before he followed his colleague Charlie Rogers to their racing cars. The flags swung, and the race started.

"You think your safe, little one?", A ghostly voice reached to Sybil. She couldn't see him or sense him, just his disturbing voice rung in her head.

"You think I don't know what you did, little one?", he continued.

"Oh no, Henry!", She thought now more troubled. She tried to keep her smile up while everyone was shouting and yelling to spur the drivers on. Then suddenly a big bang filled the air and smoke reached from far away to them.


	2. Chapter 2

Season 3 Episode 5

"How are you feeling?", the nurse at her bedside was asking Sybil.

"I don't know! I don't feel healthy. There is this terrible headache, and sometimes I see things where aren't there! Maybe I should ask to go to the hospital, instead!", Sybil told the nurse.

"I don't think that's necessary! The doctor would have told you about it if something were wrong!", the young woman replied to Sybil.

"You can't bring your child and yourself in danger.", the woman answered.

"Now try to rest. You need as much rest as you can get before it all starts.", The nurse continued and stood up. Sybil nodded and leaned back in the bed while the nurse went to the other side of the room to look at the preparations. She almost closed her eyes as the door opens slowly in a screeching tone. This just made her head spin more.

"Sorry, my darling! I just wanted to check on you if you need anything!", Tom said while he peaked his head in. Sybil tried to smile under her pain.

"Come in, please and close the door!", Sybil answered with a broken voice. Tom crossed the room to sit next to his wife on her bed.

"How are you, my love? I wish I could do something for you!", Tom told her while holding her hand. His warming hands eased Sybil a little, and she smiled more widely at him.

"It's not so bad. The doctors say it's not out of the usual to feel this way if you in this state. Don't worry so much, Tom! Everything will be okay!", she tried to persuade her husband.

"I was thinking, maybe we should go better to the hospital!", Tom told her. Sybil was catching the eye of the nurse she was talking to just before Tom came in. She shook her head at this and motioned to her to refuse it. Tom turned around to look at the spot Sybil was focusing on, but he couldn't see anything.

"What's the matter, love?", he asked confused.

"Nothing, really, but I think I want to stay here!", Sybil answered to get Tom`s attention back.

"Are you sure, about this. Do you trust this famous doctor?", Tom asked worriedly.

"I think I trust Papa with it! He trusts him, he knows him better as we do!", she explained to Tom.

"If that's what you want I will not fight him on this, I promise! But I want you to be sure!", He answered his wife. Sybil patted his cheek and looked him in his blue eyes. She loved his eyes. They were as blue and wild as the deep blue sea. She always felt free looking into them.

"I am sure!", she told him and was catching his bottom lip with hers.

"I love you, Tom. We will be so happy. Soon we have our little one, and all this is over.", she breathed in his mouth.

"I better let you rest now! I love you so very much, my love.", he said and stood up to leave the room.

"I love you so very much, too!", She stated almost too quietly she wasn't sure if he had heard her. He just smiled at her and left.

"It is for the best, Lady Sybil! You don't have to be afraid.", The nurse told her again. Sybil stared at her in wonder.

"You aren't a nurse are you?", Sybil asked!

"Tom couldn't see you! You're just in my head, in my imagination!", Sybil concluded. The nurse smiled wickedly at her.

"You are a smart one! But you're wrong. I am not imaginary! I am your destiny! I'm here to take you with me!", the nurse smiled at her.

"I'm not going to die! I just can't! What about Tom and the baby.", Sybil replied.

"You better make your peace with it! You can't prevent it from happening!", she just coldly answered and disappear in front of Sybil.

Her baby was so beautiful. Their little girl was laying in Sybil's arms, and all she could think of was that she had to die soon! Her body was feeling so tired and exhausted after the birth, but it pained her even more. Sybil had to make sure her family would look after Tom and their baby. She didn't want to send them away. She knew she wouldn't survive the night, the nurse had told her so. She had said she couldn't tell them, but Sybil had to make sure everyone would be okay without her.

"I want to sleep, really!", Sybil told them.

"Of course you do! You earned it! She is a wonderful baby.", Her mother answered. Tom smiled so happily.

"We just should let her sleep!", Sir Phillip told them and looked at Tom. She didn't want Tom to leave first, but he was already up, and the real nurse took their child from Sybil. She had to do something!

"Mama?!", Sybil called out to her while the others left the room already.

"Yes, my darling?", she asked softly.

"Tom was thinking about to getting a job in Liverpool and going back to being a mechanic, but it wouldn't be right for him! He needs to move forward!", Sybil told Cora.

"We talk about it tomorrow, we don't have to worry about it now!", She replied and covered her daughter under her blanket. There was no tomorrow! Sybil just thought stubborn. She had to listen now. Tom had so many abilities he never actually uses. This was what angered Sybil the most about him. He made one step forward and then two right back. He thinks his life was over now as a journalist because he wasn't allowed to write about anything political anymore. But he had so much more to offer. He was so smart he shouldn't waste his time on a car if he could do so much more. "I think, Papa has some kind of answer if he does...", Sybil breathed.

"Your father loves you very much!", Cora interrupted.

"I know, and I love him terribly, but will you help me battle for Tom and the baby when the time comes?", Sybil asked her mother.

"Of course!", she answered softly.

"Lady Grantham!", The doctor was calling after her mother. She didn't like the man. Why couldn't he just let her finish? He didn't have to thru everyone out of her room!

"Now sleep darling!", Cora said and was sending her a kiss from her finger to Sybil's lips. Annoyed from everybody not wanting to listen to her, she leaned back in her bed.

There she was again, this imposter nurse!

"Did you said your goodbyes, little one!", She asked. She couldn't concentrate the pain inside her body was getting too strong. Her head was swimming and pounding.

"Don't worry it's almost over!", she heard her voice between the calls from Tom and Mary.

"Can you hear me?", Mary said. Tom and Mary were shaking her body. Her lungs felt like they got crushed under something and made her panting after air. She could feel the warmth of Tom's hand even in her pain.

"Please, don't leave me!", she heard him yelling in panic, and then everything went black.

She didn't know what happened, but the next thing she saw as she opened her eyes was herself. Sybil stared at her dead body as Tom was shaking it to wake her up.

"Wake up, love!", he said crying.

"Please don't leave me, love!", He continued. Sybil couldn't look at it. She was crying too by now. What was she? A ghost? She looked at her hands and couldn't see anything different. She didn't feel much different either just the pain was gone.

"Welcome to my world, little one!", a man said standing to her side.

"Who are you?", She asked him confused. The man looked like he was in his 40s and was dressed in armor, like a knight.

"Don't you recognize me, little one?" , he answered in the nurse's voice.

"You!", she said.

"So what happens now?", Sybil asked the man. He just smiled wicked at her.

"I don't know! Do you see the light?", he asked her.

"No, what light?", Sybil wondered after looking around.

"Well, me not either! Guess you a lost one then!", He just answered and disappeared again. Baffled Sybil looked at the spot the knight was just standing a second ago. What was happening here? She watched as everyone stood in tears around her dead body. She had to get out of here.

Sybil walked thru the open door and followed the cries of her baby. The nurse had lied her down in her crib after cleaning her. Sybil looked down at her baby with tears in her eyes. Something went wrong!

"You shouldn't be here!", A familiar voice appeared next to her. As she looked up, she looked directly at the young woman.

"Lavinia!", Sybil called out.

"Sybil, why are you here?", she asked confused.

"What do you mean? I died, how I was supposed to!", Sybil replied.

"No, you had should be in the hospital! Why didn't you tell them? You knew this was the only way to save your life!", Lavinia told her.

"But this nurse had told me that it is my destiny to die!", she answered.

"What nurse?"

"Well, I thought she was a nurse, but then she turned into a man dressed as a knight.", Sybil explained.

"Oh no, that's bad!", Lavinia said and grabbed Sybil by her arm and dragged her behind her out of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

A/ To be not to confuse it would be good if you read my other story I will love you anyway first because I use the same back story for Tom in this one. Hope you like and enjoy.

Lavinia pulled Sybil after her, and in a blink of the eye, they disappeared from their spot at the nursery door, to appear again in a very dark room. It was like they had stepped thru an invisible door. The walls were smelling cold and wet, and Sybil couldn't see a thing in the uncomfortable darkness. The sobbing of a soft voice rung like innocent children cries to her ears.

"Come closer!", a man's booming voice reached to them.

"I'm afraid I can nothing more do for her!", He continued as the two woman walked in the man's direction. Finally, Sybil could see what was in front of her eyes like someone had lifted a veil. A very young woman, almost still a girl, was sitting on the stone floor, leaning with her back against the wall. Her face looked like that from a china doll, where had fallen on the floor. Big cracks decorating her face and let the girl appear like she was made out of stone.

"What happened?", Lavinia asked the middle aged man.

"I'm afraid she lost her faith in herself! Her soul is dying!", The man answered her. The girl's eyes starred disoriented in front of her. She wasn't even blinking.

"Who is she?", Sybil asked.

"She was supposed to be your guardian angel!", The man just answered not wondering why Sybil was with Lavinia here in the first place. The man turned his attention from the girl to Lavinia.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help your friend!", He said while staring at Sybil. She didn't know why, but somehow the older man reminded her of her father.

"That's why you're here, isn't it?!", he continued to Lavinia.

"She shouldn't have died! She can't go over, if we don't help her she turns into a restless one!", Lavinia answered worried.

"Your friend is not ready for it! I didn't say she has not the qualifications for it, on the contrary. Her soul seems perfect for it! But I'm afraid she is not ready to let her earlier life behind.", he explained.

"What are we talking about here? I don't understand a thing!", Sybil replied almost in tears. The man sighed.

"My dear girl, it seems like you got tricked from an angry ghost! The same ghost who had driven poor Jane over here into this state.", the man answered Sybil.

"But why? What does he want from me?", she asked confused.

"Revenge, I suppose! Restless ghosts a not really reasonable!", he told her.

"But I not even know the man! What does he want?", Sybil asked desperately.

"You and Tom brought him somehow with you as you came back from Ireland, I'm afraid!", Lavinia answered her.

"I don't think it had so much to do with you. It appears the spirit is more after your husband! Why, I cannot tell you!", she continued.

"I may tell you if you like! But it is a bit of a long story!", the man answered.

"I'm Adam, by the way. Leader of the 25th guard.", he explained and introduced himself to Sybil.

"The 25th guard?", Sybil asked.

"How many guards are there?", she continued questioning.

"534! I think!", Adam answered smiling at her. 'This whole thing was just crazy. Maybe this all is just a bad dream, and I wake up every second,' Sybil thought.

"I'm afraid it isn't a dream, my dear.", he told her like he had read her mind.

"Well, then tell me who this man is! It seems like I have time enough right now! I want to know why he ruined my families life!", She said angrily with tears in her eyes. She not even knew dead people could cry. Sybil didn't care right now. That man had destroyed everything. Her thoughts returned back to Tom. She worried so much about him.

"Very well! But let's go to a more comfortable place for it!", Adam told them. He walked back to the girl on the floor and waved his hand in motion at her. Her form crumbled under the motion until her remains disappeared into dust in the thin air.

"What happened to her?", Sybil asked shocked. Lavinia started crying next to her.

"Her soul died! It's so sad if guardian angels die. Their souls will be lost in the abyss for all eternity.", he explained.

"But isn't she dead already? How can she die, again?", Sybil asked with equally tears to Lavinia in her eyes.

"Guardian angels aren't ghosted, my dear. You are a ghost right now! Look at the difference between you and Lavinia. Can't you see it?", He asked her. Sybil looked down on her. It didn't look much different to her as before she died. Her eyes fell on Lavinia, who was still sobbing for her dead friend. First now she recognized the glow coming from Sybil's form. She was like a flicker of a light flame, while Lavinia looked like she did as she was still at life.

"Maybe my skin appears a little different!", Sybil concluded.

"Your skin? You have no skin, not anymore! Your body lies still cold in your room! What you feel is just a memory of it. Soon this feeling will disappear.", Adam told her. Sybil started to sobbing again. All her strength was gone in a second. She always forgot she was dead, it felt still so unreal. She was just a restless ghost! No, she would not cry in front of them. She just had to find a solution. This was not the end of her, the proof that she was standing here was enough to convince her faith to come back. Never give up Sybil, she told herself. Adam smiled at her again. Could he actually hear what she was thinking? He made no effort in hiding it.

"Well let's go then, shall we?", Adam told them.

Sybil not even blinked and in the next moment, they were gone. The dim light of Downton library filled her eyes. "Let's sit down! Just because some of us are dead doesn't mean we must be uncomfortable!", Adam joked and pointed to the sitting area. A dim light was glowing from the fireplace still from hours ago before it got abandoned for the night. It was in the middle of the evening ,but Sybil doubts that anyone was asleep right now. In fact, she knew they weren't! She could hear their voices in her head. Their cries and their despairs. Was this part of being dead? Hearing the heartbreaking thoughts of her loved ones and everyone was blaming themselves for her death.

"Ignore it for the moment, my dear. You have time later to comfort the living ones if you are able to do so!", Adam answered Sybil`s thoughts.

"The ghosts name is Sir Charles Coote! This story I tell you about is just an example of the fact that history repeats itself and that the human being didn't learn a thing about it. I was there at the time it happened so I will tell you what I saw.

 _It was 1642, time of the Irish Upspring and Sir Charles Coote was ordered to secure land and to anti-Catholicism the native Irish population. He fought with violence and cruelty. As he advanced_ _south,_ _he met the last resistance of the two biggest clan chiefs of southern Ireland, the O'Tooles and the O'Byrne. They defended the area since four centuries from_ _British_ _domination. The O'Tooles was actually descended from the King of Leinster and hadn't lost his influence of the area since then._ _To_ _win the_ _area_ _over, Sir Charles promised the one who_ _defeats_ _the resistance, County Wicklow, which was the main seat from both chieftain ships._

 _A young man_ _named_ _James Brabazon, Baron Ardee was ordered to support Sir Charles Coote, in the name of King Charles I, with his force._

 _At this time, I was made the guardian angel for his twin sister, Anne. James and Anne were inseparable and so did it come that the young woman moved with him into the battle. It was very unusual, but Anne was very headstrong and so was nobody able to forbid her. But while their time in Wicklow, Anne fall in love with a young Irishman_ _named_ _Rory. She first didn't know that this man, was actually the brother of the leader from the O'Tooles chieftainship. You can imagine that both sides were against it._ _"_

"This sounds very familiar!", Sybil throws in.

"But still, what has that to do with Tom? It was centuries ago!", she argued.

"Impatience is no way to get an answer, my dear! I will come to that point, but if I bore you we may let it better be, then!", Adam replied and lifted one Eyebrow in question at her.

"No, no, please continue. I want to hear it!", Sybil said sweetly, the same way she would convince her Papa with.

 _..._ _Well,_ _where was I? Oh yes, both sides were against it. Her brother James couldn't see his_ _beloved_ _twin sister in_ _tears,_ _and so he decided to make a deal with the O'Toole's to switch sides. Rory and Anne got married and got soon after happy with a little son, but their luck was not holding for long. Sir Charles Coote was boiling in_ _rage,_ _and so he took his revenge on the town people in Bray, not far away from the O'Tooles and O'Byrne seat in Kilruddery House. Sir Charles killed in his rage innocent civilians and called for the massacre of all Catholics. He ordered the burning of farms and villages in the whole area. The betray from James made its_ _rounds,_ _and so Sir Charles was given a new army force from the King. The O'Tooles and O'Byrne_ _were_ _compelled_ _to hide in the mountains, while James and Rory_ _planned_ _their own revenge. In_ _the last_ _effort, the both Brother in laws were building their own army to strike back and saving the town people from the_ _evil_ _hands of Sir Charles. But in the battle, Sir Charles stabbed Rory into the left side of his chest where the apex of the heart sits and fall to the ground. In anticipation, Sir Charles leaned over his victim to mock the dying man. But while every other normal human being had died in seconds, Rory just stood suddenly up and stabbed the man in his stomach. Sir Charles couldn't have known that the man he thought he just had killed, had_ _a rare sporadic_ _condition called dextrocardia."_

"Dextrocardia?", Lavinia asked confused. Adam smiled at the two woman as he saw Sybil mirrored expression.

"His heart was not like other people`s on the left side of his chest. Instead, it was much further right placed as normally, what had made Sir Charles miss his heart in the first place. Even in this times today is it very hard to discover this rare conditions and would be in most cases put off like a heart murmur!", Adam explained.

"Heart murmur? That's what they said Tom has!", Sybil told him. The man smiled widely at the young woman.

"I see you almost having it!", Adam chuckled.

 _"They had defeated Sir Charles_ _army,_ _and the cruel man died_ _on_ _the Battle field, but at the same time King Charles I had let send a new army_ _were_ _was holding James and Rory capture after their own defeat and brought them to London for their process. They imprisoned James in the Tower of London and should_ _have_ _been executed for treason, but his brother in law made a deal with the King to save his wife's twin brother. He would give his life_ _to_ _let James return to Bray so that he could_ _fulfill_ _what he_ _was sent_ _for in the first place. The king_ _agreed,_ _and so they executed Rory instead. As James returned to Bray, his old alliance the O'Tooles and O'Byrne never talked to him again for being in their eyes, a_ _traitor,_ _and coward."_

 _"_ How terrible! Then all their effort was for nothing, and everyone ended up unhappy! Why did Rory do that?", Sybil asked sadly.

"It was the only way to save his wife's life too! James and Anne were not just siblings, they were twins. Their bond was much stronger as every other relationship they had ever made, and they had killed Rory anyway. He was a Rebel! If James had died too, Anne could have never have overcome it. James wasn't a traitor because he stayed true to his friend and brother in law until his end. He never married and had children. Instead, Anne's and Rory son became his heir.", Adam told Sybil.

"I still don't understand why Sir Charles is after Tom?", she replied to the man.

"Somehow, he thinks he got tricked by Rory as he stabbed him and wants his revenge on all his descendants.", the man explained.

"And one of them is Tom? Well, he had his revenge then. I'm dead! Does he leaves him and my family now alone?", Sybil asked desperately.

"I don't think so, my dear. Like I said. Restless ghosts are not really reasonable. Sir Charles will not so quickly stop." Sybil sighed at this. What now? She looks out for Sir Charles in case he tries more? But nothing could be worse! He separates Sybil from her family, from her child, from her husband! Tears were falling down her cheeks, and she tried to wipe them off with her hand, but as she reached it, all was dry. This was actually the first time she touches herself since she died. It felt numb like there was nothing there and all of a sudden she started to feel very cold.

"Don't!", Adam called to her, but Sybil didn't hear. There was nothing, just endless emptiness inside her and everything in front of her turned dark.

A/ Sir Charles Coote was a real living person and historical like I had described. Also, the O'Tooles and O'Byrne and Brabazon's were real life people just my OC's James, Anne and Rory are made up of me. So I mixed some facts with my story because Bray has really a great history.


	4. Chapter 4

The cracking of the wooden floor could be heard with every step she was making. Sybil didn't remember how she came here in the first place. It still was dark, but as she passed thru the different floors, stairs, and halls, she knew where she was. Nobody came here ever, it was the old attics of the abbey. Dust, covered furniture and the musty smells of old books lived here behind the closed doors, untouched since ages. Something was drawing her into like the call of a siren. As she followed the call, she started hearing it.

"Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope, to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears; turn, then most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus. O Clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ."

It was a pray said in tears. A voice she just knew too well, but now broken. As Sybil reached the room, door wide open, she first didn't see him. He was cowering on the floor under the closed curtains of the windows on the end of the room. His legs spread out in front of him, head down to his beads in his hands. She approaches his side where she was kneeling right next to him. His loose hair strains fall in his face and were covering his swollen red eyes while his gaze focused still on his beads.

"My darling!", She whispered to him while brushing the strains of his hair to the side. Suddenly he backed away in fear. His shocked expression gazed directly at her. Could he feel that? This was impossible! He reached with his right hand to his forehead like he had got burned there.

"Can you hear me, Tom?", Sybil called to him.

"It's me, Sybil!", she added on.

"No!", Tom just said. Sybil wasn't sure if he was answering her or if he just referring to it in disbelief to the touch. His eyes were scanning the room. He couldn't see her so much she knew, but maybe he could really feel and hear her. Slowly she approached Tom again to touch his right arm. His sleeves were turn up to his elbows so he must feel the touch directly on his skin. Before she even could bring her ghostly hand at his flesh, a voice called after Sybil.

"Don't, Sybil!", Lavinia's voice stopped her. Sybil turned around and faced the woman directly.

"What are you thinking you doing here?", She asked in disbelief. Lavinia's expression was stern.

"I think he can feel my touch!", Sybil told her astonished like a child had just discovered something new.

"No, he can't! He just feels your presence, that's what's confusing him. You need to let him grieve! Come back down to us. Adam can really show you how everything works.", Lavinia explained to Sybil.

"Sybil?", Tom called after her. Astonished both women stared at him. Lavinia's gaze softened with realization.

"Like I said, he is feeling your presence. Your dead is still fresh, and your spirit is leaving marks behind. Don't drive him mad with being so close to him.", she told her.

"But, look at him. He is miserable! I have to make sure he knows I'm still around!", Sybil now pointed out.

"Sybil, are you here?", Tom said with a broken voice. A second later he was shaking his head at his own silliness. How could she, his wife was dead! The realization of her death pained him every time, like thousands of needles are stabbing into his heart. Her passing was not even two hours ago, and he already was forgetting it happened.

"I'm still here, Tom!", Sybil yelled desperate at him. Tom turned in the direction Sybil was standing and gazed at the empty spot.

"Why did you leave me?", he cried out.

"Tom, I would never leave you!", she answered him yelling it back into his face in desperation.

"But you did, and it's my fault alone! I took you into this mess.", Tom said as if he would answer her and fell back on his knees in front of Sybil. He cried while focusing his blurry vision on the carpet floor.

"It's not your fault, it's alone mine! I talked you out of going to the hospital. I had should have listened to you!", she replied.

"No, where should you have known. I should have standing up to everyone, but I was too weak.", he continued still gazing on the floor.

"He can actually hear me!", Sybil told Lavinia astonished.

"He is answering me!", she added.

"That's just a coincidence! The mortals can not hear us in our state. If you want to talk to him, you have to use other materials. There are ways, but no mortal one ever had directly spoken to a ghost.", Lavinia explained to Sybil.

"I once gave them a message as I still was a ghost over an Ouija board they had in the servant's hall. I could show you how it works, but having a real conversation with the mortals is just not possible. Well, If Adam allows you to become a guardian angel to me, that's something entirely different. It's almost like still living.", Lavinia explained. Sybil was still not convinced. He had responded to her, form that she was sure. Maybe just to be sure she would try again.

"Tom if you can hear me, please tell Lavinia that I'm right!", Sybil said more as a joke. She shouldn't make fun of it, but Lavinia was starting to get on her nerve. She was dead for two hours, and everybody knows everything better. How did they know if they had never actually tried it? Lavinia rolled her eyes at her.

"You are really childish right now!", She pointed out but couldn't hide her smile completely. Tom just looked puzzled.

"With what are you right?", Tom asked in sobs so low it almost got lost in the big room. Lavinia stared in disbelief at him.

"That is not possible!", she told Sybil.

"Tom, can you actually hear me?", Sybil questioned him and turned down to his feet.

"Where wilt to lead me? Speak, I'll go no further! Alas, poor ghost! Speak I'm bound to hear.", Tom answered while quoting Hamlet.

Should she go with the game? She knew Shakespeare at heart.

"Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, Thy knotted and combined locks to part and each particular hair to stand on end, like quills upon the fearful porpentine. But this eternal blazon must not be to ears of flesh and blood. List, list, O, list!", Sybil answered to his quotes.

It was so fitting really. Hamlets father was tricked just like she was. Well in her case it was an evil spirit, but still fitting.

"O, God! Am I dreaming?", Tom questioned.

"It must be!", he added convinced.

"Sybil, if you hear me, please forgive me. I broke my promise to you. I once promised you to devote every waking minute to your happiness, and I couldn't do it. I killed you!", he started sobbing again.

"No, No you didn't kill me! Nobody did! Even if I blame that Sir Charles for it, in the end, I died during child birth. It happens, sadly but it happens, and no one is to blame for it. At least you!", Sybil told him. His sobbings got lesser, but he looked so pained. He really should rest to get some sleep.

"Please, try to sleep. Our baby needs you! You have to face the morning soon!", Sybil whispered to Tom. He seemed to listen because he got up on his feet head still looking to the ground. She wanted to kiss him so badly but stopped herself as she considered it. She didn't want to drive him into madness. He left the room like they weren't here anymore. Like they never were. It was breaking Sybil's heart to see him like that.

"Come now, Sybil. Let's go back to Adam. If you don't want to end up like Sir Charles, then you must become a guardian angel.", Lavinia explained again and took her by her hand to lead her back to the library.


	5. Chapter 5

There was just whiteness surrounding her and Sybil could not tell where the walls ended and the sealing began. Was there even a Sealing? Sybil took in a slow breath while still waiting for the command from the leader. She was lined up like a soldier, between new Guardian recruits. Men, women and even children were standing in the big line, and for an endless moment, none of them moved.

"Like I said before, this here is no job everyone can do! You all are given a chance to become a guardian angel. But first, you have to prove yourself worthy of it and passing the test I will give to every single one of you. There is no wish thinking that this is going to be easy, not many from you will pass this test!", Adam told them. Sybil tried to stay calm and was keeping her breathing leveled, but she wasn't sure how long she could keep this up. Lavinia had told her that if Sybil wouldn't pass, there was no other way to save her soul. She would become restless, losing her memories while her spirit was falling more and more into madness. This was her only chance.

"For this test, you will be given the "gift" what means you will be able to walk around in a human form of your choice. But be warned! While I will place you on your missions really close to your former families, you are not allowed to interact with them any closer. No trying to help them overcome theirs loss. Your only mission is to take care of your charge and to guide their life's back on track. The "gift" will be turned into life after you passed your test! Is that understood!", Their leader explained to them. Not even her nursing course was so strictly like this, Sybil concluded. After several more information about how to behave, they were given little, folded notes with names, of their so call charges, on it. No more details about how this "gift" worked, just this little piece of paper in their hands.

"Good luck to you all!", Adam said and disappeared into thin air. He seemed really to like to do that! There they were now! Standing helpless, still lined up in a bright, white room without any further directions. Mumbling started to sound thru the big room as everyone tried to figure out what to do next. Sybil stared at the note in her hands. Was this already part of the test? 'Claire Collins' was written on the piece of paper! The name sounded familiar, Sybil was sure she had heard it before. Curious she opened the note, as the suddenly light started to glow up from between the paper and turned into a fuzzy light ball hovering just inches above it. Astonished Sybil stared at it in wonder. By now, she had pulled the intention from the other recruits to her, what made her feel a little uncomfortable. She reached after the light ball with her left hand to study it better, but as her fingers almost touched it, the ball jumped at her like the flash of lightning and disappeared inside of her.

Gravity was pulling her down to her shaking knees as everyone in the room stared at her in shock. It first pained her, like she was burning from inside. Her muscles were twitching and made her feel weak. Sybil couldn't focus any longer on her surrounding while the resistance was building up inside of her body. Her thighs were burning in strain as she tried to push herself back from the floor to stand upright. After a short while, the burning had turned into a pleasant warmth where was filling her body completely. She wasn't long on her feet as she suddenly got transferred into a back yard, standing in front of a big wooden door.

The sky was already turning into a soft red pinkish color as the morning chased away this foul, rough and dark night. The still fresh morning breeze gave Sybil chills down her spine. She stared at her hands again. They appeared different! The white glowing had swapped from her body and was gone! She reached her hands to her face and touched her cheeks with it. They felt cold, but not numb anymore as before! She could actually feel it! Sybil could feel the air, her body, and even the cold rocky, ground under her naked feet. Wait, bare feet? As she looked down on herself, she noticed Sybil was still wearing her night gown in which she had died in. Was her body now here? It felt like it! There couldn't be two Sybil's now, or could it?

"Sybil!", Lavinia's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Lavinia! I'm so glad to see you! What happened? This light ball hit me, and then I was suddenly here!", Sybil told her friend.

"You was given "the gift"! Right now you're in front of the door from your new charge! But before you go for it, you might change your looks!", Lavinia explained while glancing her up and down.

"Adam had allowed me to teach you how to change your form and clothing!", Lavinia smiled at Sybil.

"So, is this now my body, or what am I now?" Sybil asked confused.

"It's an appearance! Your real body is still laying in your bed. Through "the gift" you have now a new one, a borrowed one! It's like magic! Your spirit transfers it automatically into your old form, but it's really an entirely new one. It's like a memory of your old one! If you pass the test, you will get your old body back. Don't worry too much about it!", Lavinia answered.

After a few times trying, Sybil was able to change her dark hair into blonde and her nose in a different form. As she looked thru the small looking glass, Lavinia was holding in front of her, she appeared weirder as real. It was more like a costume as an actual person.

"I look like Cyrano de Bergerac!", Sybil snorted and infected Lavinia with the laughing too.

"But seriously, you can't go like that, you pull too much attention to your form! Try again!", Lavinia told her. Sybil closed her eyes and tried to concentrate again. She drew in a deep breath of air and imagine her new look in her head. She felt the ripple of energy jolting thru her body, and as she opened her eyes again, a complete stranger was staring back at her out of the mirror.

"Wow, that was incredible! You did it! You look great and unrecognizable!", Lavinia said astonished. Suddenly the big wooden door swung open, and an angry looking Spratt stared back at the two woman.

/A: I know I have way too much fantasy, but please review anyway and let me know what you think.


End file.
